Love Your Neighbor

Today I had a wonderful conversation with the ladies on being determined. I know we always

put that word with extreme things like diets or marathons, but I think you might be surprised

how many times a day you do something out of determination. For me, I never leave my house

without the bed made. There is a problem, though. Three days a week, my husband leaves after

me. The solution to making sure it happens, we made a house rule, last one out of bed makes

it. Think about all the things you do during the day. Maybe you smoke. For that to happen, you

have to buy the cigarettes and figure out were in public you can smoke. Do you drive to work?

For you to make sure you are not walking one day, you have to plan to have that vehicle ready

to go. If you want something like convenience or pleasure, you are going to make sure that

whatever you want is available. So when you see that verse that says Daniel determined in his

heart not to defile himself, you can understand there was a plan in place to make it happen.

Romans 14:13 gives a beautiful challenge to being determined. “Therefore let us not judge one

another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a

brother’s way.”

I always joke with my ladies that there is no policeman of the world spiritual gift or hall

monitor. This verse reminds us that being right at all costs is wrong. Just in case you have not

noticed, there is nothing you are going to do or say that will change someone’s heart about

some issues. All we do when we try to push our opinions is to open the door to further

descension. If you really think that your brother or sister is doing something harmful, then you

should be determined to pray about it till God moves their heart. Or yours in case you were

actually the one wrong. I find it curious that we make plans for almost every aspect of our lives,

but when it comes to our spiritual growth, we act like it is just going to materialize.

I once worked with a lady that was incredibly mean to me behind other people’s backs, but in

front of others, she was so sweet. As I sat in a meeting, people went on and on about how kind

she was and how much they loved her. In my head, I asked God to expose her for who she

really was. Then I heard the Holy Spirit ask me if I wanted Him to expose me for who I was. The

next thought was to leave her alone, God. The world of social media is set up in a manner to

one-up your neighbor or goad them into a situation for show. Please be careful. Whatever you

are willing to do to someone else, you are giving permission for God to return the favor. The

Bible refers to those moments as “Woe to you.” The fear of God is a good thing.

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Authority Given By God

The other day, God reminded me of a story. When I was teaching in the old mission building, my classroom was the library. I loved the big tables that we could join together as we discussed God’s word. Then I had to move over to the men’s side of the building and teach in one of the classrooms. It was your standard room with conference tables. At the time, I felt the setup cold as I was way upfront from the ladies “teaching.” My director permitted me to join the tables together to make it more intimate. Since I was having trouble with my legs, she told me I could leave the tables joined together for the guys to put the room back together. She forgot to tell the guys. One day, a man came storming into my classroom and yelled at me. “You will put those tables back,” he demanded. I looked up and slowly said, “No.” He screamed again, “Yes, you will.” I again replied, “No, and if you have a problem with that answer, you can talk with my supervisor.” The look on his fa...

Questions about Fasting Part One

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Fast Part Two

I have been mulling over the part fasting should be playing in the age of grace. For two weeks, I have questioned my friends about why they fast. Most of my friends said the same thing: to get close to God or hear God. My friends are kind and allow me to challenge their thought processes or debate them concerning their answers. Yesterday at church, God finally brought a complete response to me about fasting. Imagine yourself on a date or having an intimate dinner with someone, and they took out their phone and started scrolling. What if you were talking to a friend and they walked away from you to do something else? How would you feel if someone you loved screened their calls and refused to pick up the phone to talk with you? All three of those scenarios are how we treat God. God looks at the relationship with His people as a marriage. There is not one marriage that can survive without intimacy or that special closeness withheld for only one. When we read ve...

L. Kathleen Cline

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